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Posted by Dr Rich on 05-16-2003 at16:17:

 

Yup, you could learn a lot from Stuart, or Moby for that matter! )

quote:

Originally posted by DaLe uReViG http://stuartdavis.com/albums/unreleased/1999studiodemo/ Stuart Davis - 1999 Studio Demo Complete Album (MP3 album includes cover artwork) $8.00 or actual CD for $15.00 plus S&H (Shipping charges are $3 for the first item ordered and $1 for each additional item) Stuart Davis - Mother Fools-March 22, 2002 Show This two-disc Complete Album (MP3 album includes cover artwork) $15.00 choice $8.00 or $18.00 you decide what you want...

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Posted by EdHead on 05-16-2003 at16:23:

 

Could someone tell me what this thread is talking about?

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Posted by Dr Rich on 05-16-2003 at16:24:

 

sorry no!

"grown up" talk!

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Posted by brd2yrmother on 05-16-2003 at17:18:

 

It's about trying to find better ways of doing business so that client base is increased instead of frustrated.

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Posted by zippetydoodaddy on 05-16-2003 at17:22:

 

quote:

Originally posted by brd2yrmother It's about trying to find better ways of doing business so that client base is increased instead of frustrated.

Yeah.

and it's also about telling someone their business.






i am master of my domain.

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Posted by brd2yrmother on 05-16-2003 at17:27:

 

as long as we don't have to see anybody doing their business. JTT has stayed away.

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Posted by Stuart Pedasso on 05-16-2003 at18:41:

 

I had a foamy cream ale and a greasy burger for lunch.

Everyone has gone home except for me, and I'm at my desk just crankin' 'em off. I'm laughing out loud and thoroughly enjoying my afternoon.

Whoomp, there it is.

So long as I don't leave a mark on my chair no one will be the wiser come Monday.

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Posted by zippetydoodaddy on 05-16-2003 at19:15:

  Fartin

see below

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Posted by zippetydoodaddy on 05-16-2003 at19:15:

  Fartin

quote:

[I] So long as I don't leave a mark on my chair no one will be the wiser come Monday.

Fartin' Monday
I couldn't resist
A thread that keeps bashing
and gettin' guys Mountain Dewed

But now it gets silly
and we're smelling the mist

Fartin' Muheeuhunday

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Posted by Captain Pedantic on 05-16-2003 at23:54:

 

quote:

Originally posted by brd2yrmother This kind of bugs me. Isn't this idea basically what pre-ordering those last several CDs was really all about? By pre-ordering we were supposed to be executive producers, so to speak. The fact that the money was most likely used for other things (even if they were viable needs of the band) makes me hesitant to lay down more money on the faith that it will be used for what it is supposed to be used for. I don't think I've ever complained about service or anything else from the DA-store. I have enjoyed everything I've received and any problems I've had have been taken care of. I do know that when I owned a store and a customer special ordered a product (prepaying for something that I didn't have on hand), I used that money to get their product even if I still didn't have money to pay rent or food. I think that's the key point here. It wasn't my money until I'd given the customer what it was they had paid for. Until the product was in the customer's hands, it was still their money.

Byrd I fully agree 100%.

I am in the middle of an email discussion with JT about this and he likes the idea and thinks Terry will be floored when he finds out.

I have told JT that I am fine being the organiser spokesperson and liason between the investors and the band management. And as such I would like the funds to be kept independant of the band. We will not use these funds for Bergers windex rehab
Also as this is independant, then as spokeperson (executive-executive producer? ), I will do what I can to keep all informed and to keep things on schedule.

JT has said we will need to raise $5000 if we are going to make this thing woik. That is a bare bones budget so if we can get more then all the better.

It is different from the pre-orders as this is an investement - you will get your money back from first proceeds. Any profits after the return on investments will either go to you as profit or to Terry or split between the two as per your wishes. My idea currently is that profit will be shared pro-rata. If we raise $5000 and you invest $100 then you get 1/50 of the profits. You can keep your 1/50 or give it all to Terry or split between yourself and Terry.

Or course being an investment there is the possability of losses being made. As spokeperson I can forward ideas on marketing, after all I'm sure we'd all like this to fly. But I don't want to pass on artistic ideas and just leave that bit up to Terry and the band.

JT, as a lawyer, will work out the legal details and write up a contract.

The current sticking point is as I live in New Zealand how can we set up an independant bank account in the USA to hold the funds. Does someone here want to be treasurer?

Short answer is that I want to keep it indepandant and if you invest what your budget allows and if you can't invest then buy the CD and if not then go listen to the Tuxedo Clad Megastar on the radio

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Posted by dorfsmith on 05-16-2003 at23:57:

 

Sounds like this could go somewhere.

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Posted by Captain Pedantic on 05-17-2003 at00:02:

 

quote:

Originally posted by dorfsmith Sounds like this could go somewhere.

Once fine point details are worked out with JT and we have a way of holding the funds then there will be an annoucement and the ball will start rolling.

JT had the idea that the executive producors will have access to a web page with photo's and mp3's etc...

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Posted by dorfsmith on 05-17-2003 at00:04:

 

Too cool!

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Posted by John Foxe on 05-17-2003 at11:11:

  Suite!

I'm interested, count me in!

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Posted by pistolpete on 05-17-2003 at11:41:

 

quote:

Originally posted by Michelle quote: Originally posted by pistolpete I've ordered all the recent releases from lo-fidelity. The service is REALLY fast and it supports the band. I realize some people think that the only way you can support the band is from buyng directly from the bands web-stores, but that is really not true. Buying from the label (in this case) also means that they can put more stuff out. Just an added thought to the whole discussion. Peter Anderson Good point. I hope everyone will buy from lo-fidelity as well, but somehow Terry and company need to generate enough money to pay costs beyond CD production and distribution, such as rent, food, clothes, medical care, etc. There are production expenses and then there are living expenses. With such a small fan base it's extremely difficult to make enough profit to live on.

I'm not sure if this is what you meant, but your post makes it seem as if your impression is that with the label all the band made was money for "CD production and distribution". Is that what you meant? That sort of defeats the purpose of a label if thats the case.

Peter

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Posted by Michelle on 05-17-2003 at12:31:

  Great!

quote:

Originally posted by Captain Pedantic quote: Originally posted by dorfsmith Sounds like this could go somewhere. Once fine point details are worked out with JT and we have a way of holding the funds then there will be an annoucement and the ball will start rolling. JT had the idea that the executive producors will have access to a web page with photo's and mp3's etc...

The investment idea is terrific--here's praying that it succeeds with flying colors! You should probably set a minimum investment level, though, or some joker will want to invest 1 cent just to get access to the photos and MP3's . . .

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Posted by dorfsmith on 05-17-2003 at12:33:

 

I was gonna invest two cents.

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Posted by Michelle on 05-17-2003 at13:30:

  Let me clarify

quote:

Originally posted by pistolpete I'm not sure if this is what you meant, but your post makes it seem as if your impression is that with the label all the band made was money for "CD production and distribution". Is that what you meant? That sort of defeats the purpose of a label if thats the case. Peter

When the discussion turned to raising capital for new CD production, I wanted to point out that if all the profits are returned to the investors or reinvested in a new project, this solves the problem of financing a new product but doesn't solve the problem of Terry and company needing money to live on. Perhaps for some people I'm stating the obvious, but others may not have thought of this aspect. Even if a small label like lo-fidelity provides the capital, with a small fan base and limited distribution, it's still difficult to make enough profit for living expenses. Self-produced projects are, of course, even more difficult. A large portion of the profit has to go back to the next project, and if a project actually loses money, you can find yourself out of business very quickly. To top it off, we've been in a recession for several years and spending money for "luxuries" such as music CD's is down. As of today, Lost Dogs has no major label support (having completed their contract with BEC), and neither does DA or Terry. So Terry and company face a daunting task. I just wanted to point out to those that are willing to invest their hard-earned cash in a new project that somewhere in the equation, living expenses must be met as well as production and distribution expenses.

Now that I've rambled on, am I making more sense?

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Posted by Michelle on 05-17-2003 at13:36:

  Speaking of lo-fidelity . . .

quote:

[I]Originally posted by Captain Pedantic Once fine point details are worked out with JT and we have a way of holding the funds then there will be an annoucement and the ball will start rolling.

Could lo-fidelity/ Jeffrey K. do this?

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Posted by jeffrey k. on 05-17-2003 at19:35:

  since I was asked...

I had really planned to stay out of this whole discussion, but since I was asked (and my label discussed a bit) I will give my thoughts...to a degree anyway. Take them as you will.

First, I find it a bit odd that anyone outside the label or band would attempt to discuss what a "small label like lo-fidelity" has done, or can do, in terms of paying the guys "living money" for their projects. I realize my label was just being used as an example of small labels in general, but the reality is I have worked hard to run this label as an exception to the rule. While I don't think it's really anyone's business what the specific deals were, all of the lo-fidelity releases that have pertained to Mike, Terry, and Derri, solo or as the Dogs, have made the guys their "profit for living expenses" as outlined in our deals, quickly and without outside distribution. In fact in the case of ALL lo-fidelity releases, the label has worked, and in the case of 2 of the cd's, is still working to recoup label expenses on the cd's....but the guys all made their money. My biggest pain had been trying to convince people that buying from the label actually HELPS the band because it enables for more projects to be made...helps the guys to make more money, and so on.

Anyway...with this DA project you are all talking about. I truly don't feel like it's appropriate for me to hold money for a record I don't intend to put out. In fact it makes little sense to me to have someone outside of JT, the bands lawyer, holding onto the money for this kind of project. He loves the guys, fights for their interests, and undoubtedly would set up an account to hold this money for the record. Enough said about that.

Some things to think about in terms of this project. If you really want to do it, you need to ask some questions. First off, what does $5000 get the investors? 5 songs? 10 songs? What exactly? Are the songs going to come mastered and ready for CD replication? Does $5000 get you "ready for press" CD art? Does $5000 include the costs for replication of the cd's? How many cd's will be initially pressed? What percentage of the profits (per 1000 units pressed) will DA command for the project once it goes on sale? Will you advertise the cd anywhere, and if so, how much of an advertising budget are you going to need to save for? Are you going to wholesale it to outside sellers, or only sell it off the DA site?

With the costs involved, if mastering, cd art, cd replication, etc, are not included the in the "bare bones" estimate JT gave then you would probably need to figure that you would need to raise more like $7000-$8000 (or more if you intend to advertise the cd) to bring in a complete project for the band....if that is indeed what you all want to do. Once you get all these figures together in an estimate, then you have to have to divide the grand total by a per unit selling price...so $15....and then see how many cd's that will need to sell at full price for the band to make their money and all the investors to recoup their costs. Then decide if you think doing this will actually be possible based on the investors finances, how many investors you actually have, the possibility that you might not recoup...the fact that as an investor, given the small fan base of the band, you will probably have to buy the cd you just helped have made in order to help the group recoup...and then with all the facts in front of you, make an educated decision from there.

I think it's totally admirable that people would want to do this. I imagine Terry does too. Just be as educated on the costs and risks involved before committing it. It can be great to do stuff like this, and also really hard.

Just my thoughts,

jeffrey k.
ww.lo-fidelity.com